Management styles, mediating variables, and stress among HRD professionals

This exploratory study examined the relationship between management styles, selected potential mediating variables, and employee stress levels. Members of a human resource professional organization who worked in business and industry were randomly selected and asked to complete five survey instruments. Variables included stress level, certain personality and demographic characteristics, and the perceived management style of their managers. Significant differences in employee stress levels were found between the management styles. Different combinations of the mediating variables predicted stress in each of the management styles. In addition, when management style was included as a predictor variable, it was the biggest predictor of stress. The relationship between management style and employee stress level has implications for today's HRD practitioners.